Carriage shift mechanism



May 29; 1945. H. T. AVERY 2,376,954

CARRIAGE SHIFT MECHANISM Filed Sept. 6, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 CQCQ@@@@@@@@ IN V EN TOR. Ham/d I A very A fro /MY.

May 29, 1945. AVERY CARRIAGE SHIFT MECHANISM Filed Sept. 6, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR f/aro/a T Aver Y W ATT NEY.

s sheets-sheet s M A Y T v E N A N m M T y 1 J M Hv LE 2 v vv l ENE May 29, 1945. H, T. AVERY CARRIAQE SHIFT MECHANISM .7

Filed Sept. e, 1938 Patented May 29, 1945 2,376,954 CARRIAGE SHIFT MECHANISM Harold T. Avery, Oakland, Calif., assignor to Marchant Calculating Machine Co mpnny, I

corporation of California Application September 6, 1938, Serial No. 228,613

9 Claims.

cluding mechanisms not specifically disclosed herein, reference is hereby made to the Avery patent application Serial Number 702,949 filed December 18,1933, of which the present application is a continuation in part, and which has since matured into Patent Number 2,211,736, is- I sued on August 13, 1940. It is to be understood, however, that although the invention is shown applied to a machine of the generaltype disclosed in this description, it will appear that the invention is applicable to a machine of the type in which the carriage is stationary and the actuatoris shifted, or to one in which the carriage and actuator are stationary and devices connecting the actuators and the register are shifted.

In :a machine of the general type disclosed in the aforesaid patent, a power transmission mechanism is provided whereby the shiftable carriage maybe-moved laterally by power derived from the motor. This motor may operate continuously, but preferably is controlled by an electric switch, automatically closed upon forward movement oflever lllll'during the first part of the shift initiating operation, as disclosed in detail in the aforesaid Avery patent. Control of this carriage shifting is effected by clutch means forming a part of such mechanism, and a key,

. or preferably, two keys are provided whereby the clutch means may be rendered effective to cause the carriage to be shifted in one, or selectively, in the other direction. In related types of machines the actuators may be shifted with respect to a fixed register, or devices connecting aflxed register and fixed actuators maybe shiftedby similar power transmission mechanism.

When a carriage shift control key is depressed by the operator of such a machine, the carriage is thus moved, inthe selected direction, into the desired operating position. 'I'he clutch means functioning in this operation should, preferably,

operate cyclically so that, even though the key is depressed and immediately released, the carriage will be moved a full step intothe next operating position. It is also desirable to provide for repeated cyclic operation. of such clutch means so that if the controlkey is held depressed by the operator, the carriage will shift through one or more operating ositions, but will always come to rest in an operating position, regardless of when the key is released. The invention, in its broader aspects, is applicable, however, to machines in which the shift key must be repeatedly depressed to secure successive carriage shifts.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means, in machines of this general class, which will function when the carriage is in one or the other end position to prevent the transmission to it of any driving force tending to move it beyond such position, without interfering with carriage shifting in the opposite direction. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, hereinafter disclosed, this may be accomplished by providing a releasable driving connection in the driving train to the carriage, whereby said driving train will be temporarily broken when the carriage shifting controls are operated in 'such a way as would otherwise transmit to the carriage a driving force tending to move it beyond either of its end positions.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means whereby useless operation of the carriage shifting drive train will be prevented when an attempt is made to operate it in a direction which would tend to shift the carriage beyond either of its end positions. In the embodiment disclosed, this result may be accomplished with a machine equipped with a releasable driving connection, such as has-been mentioned, by means rendered effective upon the first operation of the shift drive train in a direction tending to move the carriage beyond either of its .end positions, for interrupting operation of [said train even though a shiftkey is held depressed.

- Another object of the invention. is to provide means whereby the: machine will indicate totheoperator when the f reached.

end carriage position has been Other objects will appear during the following detailed description of a preferred form .of .the

panying drawings, forming a part .of this. speciflcation,inwhich: I ,1,

Figure 1 is a planview of the. machine with partof the back cover and carriage covers cut Figure 221:: a view, in elevation, of theright side of the shift controlling mechanism.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view showing the cam and centralizer which control the cyclic disengagementof the shift clutch. I

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the shiftclutch, taken on theline 4-4 of Figure 2.

Shift actuating mechanism The machine is provided with a motor (not shown) which constitutes the driving means for the shift clutch I300 (Figure 2). The. power is transmitted from the motor through suitable gears and shafts to gear 362 (Figure 4) to drive the shift clutch. Said gear is rotatably mounted on shaft I306 which is positioned between the center and right side frames of the machine. Gear 333, used to drive unrelated mechanisms, is also rotatably mounted on shaft I303 by a flanged sleeve I301, which is keyed to the hub of j gear 332 and secured by rivets to gear 333, the

a sun gear I320 formed upon one end of a sleeve I 32I to the opposite end of which a second ratchet wheel I303 is keyed. Gear teeth I322 formed on the shafts I3I'I mesh with a second 'sun gear I321 to which is sec1n'ed--"gear I323 by which power is transmitted from this shift clutch to the shift drive train.

This shift clutch may be operated to transmit power to the shift drive train, selectively rotating the same in either direction. Gear 332 is always rotated when the motor is running, driving gear 333 and ring gear I3I3 so that planetary gears I3I3, and their associated gears 1322 will normally revolve idly about sun gear" I321. If the ratchet wheel I303 is held, however, as when dog I302 (Figure 2) is rocked into engagement therewith, revolution of the planetary gears I III and gears I322 about sun gears I320 and I321 is prevented and said planetary gearsfimction as idlers to transmit the drive to the sun gear I321, and its associated gear I323. If, however, the other ratchet wheel I303 is-held by dog I303 (Figure 2), being rocked into engagementtherewith, sun gear I323 will be held stationary and the planetary gears I3 and gears I322 will all rotate about their own centers and revolve about sun gear I320, thereby driving the gear I323 in the opposite direction.

The direction of rotation of gear I323 deter- "mines the direction of shift of the carriage. A

gear I323 meshing with gear I323 is rotatably mounted on the shaft I33I (Figure 4) between friction discs I330 and I332 keyed to said shaft. A sleeve I333 is also mounted on shaft I3" and supports a cam I333 thereon (Figures 3 and 4) while a disc I335 is keyed to the shaft I33I. Spring I331 is compressed between washer I 333 and lock nuts I333 on the threaded end of shaft I33I. This construction provides for a friction drive connection between gear I323 and shaft I33I effected by discs I330 and I332, which are pressed against the gear I323 by spring I331 bearing against the washer I333, the spacer I333, and the disc I333.

The shaft I33I is supported in a suitable bearins I330 securely mounted in a frame of the machine, and a sleeve bearing I333 riveted to an angle bracket I333. A bevel gear I33I is fixed on the end of the shaft I33I and meshes with a bevel gear I 332 ecurely mounted on the lower end of vertical shaft 333, also supported in the adjustable angle bracket I333 secured to the base plate of the machine.

The aforesaid shaft 333 is supported at its upper end by bracket 333 secured to the back frame plate of the machine. 333 also has fixed thereto a hub and plate assembiy 333 on which are mountedrollers 332 adapted to engage between the teeth of rack 330, mounted on the shiftable carriage 250 (see also Figure l). and thereby, upon rotation of the assembly 333 The upper end of shaft by the shaft 333, serves to drive the carriage laterally to the right or to the left.

.by the keys I303 and I303 (Figures 1 and 2), and

means are provided whereby the depression of .one or the other of said key will eifect the engagement of its respective dog I302 or I303 with one of the shift clutch ratchets I303 or I303, re-

' spectiveiy, thereby determining the direction of the shift.

The keys I303 and I303 comprises vertically sliding stems, which are connected by means of links I301 and I303 (Figure 2) with a common pin I303 pivotally attached thereto, while a spring I303, tensioned between one of said links and the machine frame, normally urges both of the keys I303 and I303 upwardly. Upon depression of the key I303, the pin I303 is moved to the right, and upon depression of the key I303 the pin I303 is moved to the left, as viewed in Figure 2. A stationary member I3I1 guides the pin I303 in either its right or left hand movement and also serves as an interlock so that neither one of the keys I303 or I303 can be depressed when the other one is in a depressed position.

Either right or left hand movement of the pin I303 will be transmitted through bifurcated arm I332 to rock the shaft I333, to which arm I332 is pinned, clockwise or counter-clockwise, depending upon which of the keys is depressed. Disposed on the shaft I333, adjacent to each other, are two similar V-shaped members I330 and II, each of which is provided with two facing lugs I333. The spring I330 is compressed between these four lugs so that a rocking movement in either direction can be transmitted from one of the V-shaped members to the other through the spring I390. Member I380 is pinned to the shaft I333 and is rocked by the movement" of arm I332, thus rocking the member I33I which is free on the shaft I333,'and which has a downwardly extending arm pivotaily connected to the link I333 which is thus pushed to the right when key I303 is depressed. If, for any reason, movement of link I333 is prevented at any time, depression of either key will merely compress spring I330 without moving the member I33I, but under normal conditions the movement described will be effected. This results in the rocking, about its pivot I313, of the lever I313 which is provided with a lateral projection I31I, normally engaging in a notch I313 in the rearward end of link I333 held in engagement with said projection by spring I333 tensioned between link I333 and a stud on the machine frame.

The rocking of lever I313 imparts longitudinal movement to link I313 pivoted to the upper end thereof and provided at its rear end with an aperture in which are two facing lugs I3I0. Ad- Jacent the rear end of link I313 is a link I3II with an identical aperture, also with two facing lugs.- Link I313 and link IBM are yieldingly connected by compression spring I3I2 located over. the four lugs I3I0, and link I5 is pivotallyconnected at its forward end to the shift clutch control dog I308 by a stud I3I3, so that longitudinal movement of link I313 will cause rocking movement of the clutch control dog about shaft I30I. The control dog I303 has a rearwardly extending arm provided with a dog I302 adapted to engage ratchet wheel I303, and a downwardly extending arm provided with a in engage the ratchet wheel parting counter-clockwise movement to the lever I310, leftward movement to link I314, and counter-clockwise movement to the control dog I308, moving dog I304 into engagement with the ratchet wheel I305 to cause transmission of the drive to the carriage, as has been previously described.

When a right hand carriage shift is desired, the key I405 is depressed, thus moving the link I403 to the left to rock lever I315 in a clockwise direction. This rocking movement of lever I315 moves the link I314 to the right causing the dog I302 to engage the ratchet I303, thus reversing the driving direction of the carriage shifting mechanism, as was described in the section entitled "Shift actuating mechanism.

Means are provided whereby dogs I! and i 3 I304 are held in engagement with their respective ratchet wheels during approximately the first three-quarters of the shift cycle, to insure the completion of any initiated shift, no matter how quickly the key is released. On a leftward extension of the clutch control dog I300 (Fig. 2) is a formed ear I304, adapted to engage the projection I303 of latch I350, pivotally mounted at I30I and urged into engagement with said ear by spring I302. When control dog I300 is moved either clockwise or counter-clockwise, the ear I304 is released from against latch I300 which rocks about shaft I30I under the tension of spring I30! and seats its proiection I303 either above or below ear I304, thus latching the clutch control dog I300 against return movement.

shift cycle. For this purpose, centralizer I304 is utilized by attaching the upper end of spring lever I4" is pivotally mounted in the machine frame at I I, provided with 9. lug I4l3 extending laterally into engagement with lever I310 above the pivot I310, and an adjustable lug I4I5 having an offset I4I0 engaging the lever I310 below said pivot, and pressed against the lever I315 by a spring I400 tensioned between the free end of lever I H0 and a stud H on the machine frame.

Thus the centralizer I4I0 tends to maintain the.

Disabling of shift in end positions Means are provided for preventing transmission to the carriage-of any driving force tendin to move beyond either of its nd positions.

As briefly described hereinbefore, the rollers 33! drive the carriage, when the shift clutch I300 functions, by successively engaging between the teeth of the shift rack 330, pivotally mounted on All I302 to the extreme left end of said centralizer.

When the shift clutch I300 first begins to rotate. rollers I303 revolve about their shaft I33I, and in their movement the rollers I303 cam the centralizer I304 upwardly, thereby exerting more and more tension on the spring I303 until the shaft I33I has made one-quarter of a rotation.

Provision is made whereby latch I300 is moved by cam I334 (Figure 3) to release the ear I304 during the latter part of the cycle. It will be seen that the cam I334 includes two opposite rises over which a nose I351 of the lever I300 rides; the two rises being required because onehalf rotation of shaft I33I is a full cycle of the shift mechanism. Upon counter-clockwise rotation of the cam from the position shown in Figure 3. the nose I351 is cammed upwardly during the latter part of the cycle. To provide for unlatchin during the latter part of the cycle. for the reverse rotation of shaft I33I, the cam I334 is free on the shaft and is driven by the disc I335 keyed to shaft I33I and provided with two shoulders I300 on opposite sides thereof. Upon clockwise rotation of the disc I330 from the position shown in Figure 3, pin I30I on the cam I334 is engaged by the opposite shoulder I300 and is rotated to unlatch ear I354 durin the latter part of this reverse cycle.

When the latch I350 is thus released, the clutch control dog I308 is automatically centralized to remove the effective dog I302 or I304 from engagement with its ratchet. For this purpose the the; carriage at 33I (Figure 2). When the carriage reaches either of its end positions, the last tooth of the rack 330 is in the position to be engaged by a roller333. An outer ear 330 (Figure 4) of said last tooth of rack 330 is formed diagonally upward, thereby forming a cam surface its extreme right or left position. A lever I000 is rockably mounted on shaft 042 and is in the form of a bail, as shown in Figure l. The forward end IO0I (Figure 2) is located, so as to be directly over the ear 330 or car 333 of the rack 330 when the carriage is in one or the other extreme end position, so that upward movement of said rack, when an attempt is made to shift the carriage beyond either end position, will impart a clockwise movewill disengage the lateral extension "H of lever I310. If lever I310 is out of its central zed position, as it is when either shift key is depressed. spring I400 is tensioned and tends to force lever I310 to its neutral position through the action of lever I4I0. If, therefore, notch I414 is removed from engagement with ear I41l, spring I400 will rock lever I0 and lever I315 until they reach their neutral positions. In either extreme end posite direction,

carriage position, one of the ears I" or I30 underlies the bail IOI and as rack 030 rises, as previously described, it imparts a clockwise movement to lever I000 causing rotation of lever I004 in a counter-clockwise direction about shaft I3II. During the said counter-clockwise movement of lever I004 the ear I000, formed on the forward extension of lever I004, moves downwardly to engage the stud I 000, and carries with it the rear end of lever I403, thereby removing notch I414 from engagement with the ear I41I of lever I315. With the notch I414 removed from ear I4II, lever I310, link I314, and the clutch control dog I308 will be free to swing back to their neutral positions under pressure of spring I400, as previously described, as soon as the latch I300 is disengaged from the ear I004, even though one of the shift keys is held depressed.

When the driving shaft I'33I centralizes, as hereinbefore described, roller 332 will have moved from beneath the tooth of the rack 330, thus allowing said rack to drop to its lowered position and allowing lever I000 to return to'its original position. This is brought about by the action of spring Ill-0 which raises the rear end of lever I 403, and forces lever I 004 in a clockwise direction by pressure against ear I000. The clockwise movement of lever I004 moves lever I000 to its original position with its bail IO0I overlying ear 330.

If, at this time, the operator continues to hold either key I400 or I400 in a depressed position, the link I403 will remain in eitherv its rearward or forward position, depending upon which key is being held depressed. The rear end of lever I483, having been lowered to disengage notch I 414 from the ear I "I by the mechanism Just described, has allowed lever I 310 to return to its neutral position under the pressure of spring I400, but lever I403, being in its said rearward or forward position depending on which key is being held depressed, will be held down by the ear H where it will remain until the key I400 or I406 is released, at which time notch I414 will be aligned with ear I "I and allowed to rise to the normal position shown in Figure 2.

From the foregoing it is evident that if the same key I400 or I400 is again depressed, the control dog I300 will again operate clutch I 300. and the shaft 334 and rollers 332 will rotate in the same direction, thereby again camming ear 308 upwardly, disengaging the notch I414 from ear I41I after one cycle of rotation of said rollers, to arrest the shifting mechanism in the manner previously described.

It is evident also that if the key, other than the one last depressed, is depressed. the clutch will again be engaged but will revolve in the opthereby driving shaft 334 and rollers 332 to shift the carriage in the opposite direction. In this opposite directional movement, if the key is held depressed, the rollers will successively engage between each of the teeth of the rack 330, thereby driving the carriage latorally to the other extreme end position, at which position another ear 339, formed on the opposite end of rack 330, will have moved into a position underlying bail IO0I. When the carriage has reached this extreme end position, any further shift cycle in the same direction will cause the ear 339 and the rack 330 to be cammed upwardly by roller 332 in the same manner in which the movement of, ear 330 was effected. Upon such movement of ear 330, lever I000 will be rocked clockwise about its center 042, imparting counterconnection between clockwise movement to lever I004, gaging notch I414 from ear I4II described. Lever I310 will be free to spring back to its neutral position through the compound action of spring I400 and lever I4I0, thereby disengaging the clutch and again stopping the shifting mechanism.

I claim:

1. In a motor driven calculating machine comprising a frame having a transversely shiftable carriage thereon, carriage shifting mechanism comprising a control member movable in opposite directions from a central inefl'ective position to cause said motor to shift said carriage in one or the other direction respectively. means comprising a pair of manipulable members and a single thereby disenas previously ruption of said connection.

2. In a motor driven calculating machine comprising a frame having a transversely shiftable carriage thereon, carriage shifting mechanism other direction respectively, manipulable members operatlvely connected to said control memher to move the same selectively in either direction, means operable by said carriage shifting mechanism for interrupting the operative connection between said manipulable members and said control member, means for returning said control member to ineffective position, and means automatically responsive to said manipulable member upon manual release thereof and effective upon return of said control member to ineffective position for reconstituting said operative connection.

3. In a motor driven calculating machine comprising a frame having a carriage transversely shiftable to any of a series of ordinal positions thereon, carriage shifting mechanism comprising a. control member movable from a normal ineffective position to cause said motor to shift said carriage and movable back to ineffective position to interrupt such shifting after one or more orders of shifting movement of said carriage, a manipulable member operatively connected with said control member to move the same to carriage shifting position, means rendered effective in response to movement of said carriage to either end position and operated by said carriage shifting mechanism for interrupting the operative said manipulable member and said control member, means for returning said control member to ineffective position, and means automatically responsive to said manipulable member upon manual release thereof and effective upon return of said control member to ineffective position for reconstituting said operative connection.

4. In a motor driven calculating machine comprising a frame having a transversely shiftable carriage thereon, carriage shifting mechanism comprising a control member movable in opposite directions from a central ineffective position to cause said motor to shift said carriage in one or the other direction respectively, manipulable members operatively connected to said control member to move the same selectively in either direction, means rendered effective in response to movement of said carriage to either end posinection between said manipulable members and said control member, means for returning said control member to ineffective position, and means automatically responsive to said manipulable member upon manual release thereof and effective upon return of said control member to ineffective position for reconstituting said operative connection.

5. In a motor driven calculating machine, a carriage shiftable to any of a series of operating positions, carriage shifting means operable by the motor to shift the carriage in either direction to any of said positions including a cyclic clutch and yieldable elements between said clutch and the carriage adapted to prevent shifting of the carriage beyond either end position upon overdriving of said shifting means, a control element for said clutch, a pair of directional shift keys for controlling said shifting means, a shift operation control train common to both of said keys, operable by either of said keys to move the clutch control element to drive transmitting position, and including a member adjustable to disable said train and thus permit movement of said element from said position while the operated key is held depressed, means responsive to either such adjustment of said member or return of an operated key for disengaging the clutch at the conclusion of its current cycle, tripping means operable in response to yielding of a yieldable element to adjust said member as aforesaid and means responsive to return of a depressed key for readiusting said member to normal position to re-enable said common control train.

6. In a motor driven calculating machine, a carriage transversely shiftable to any of a series of ordinally spaced operating positions, carriage shifting means operable by the motor to shift the carriage and including, a cyclic shift clutch operable through a selected number of cycles, a shift drive train adapted to transmit the shifting force from the clutch to the carriage and to thus shift the carriage through the number of ordinal steps corresponding to the number of cycles through which the clutch is operated, and a yieldable element in said train operable upon overdriving of the drive train after the carriage reaches an end position to prevent transmission of the shifting force from the clutch to the carriage, shift control means for causing the carriage shifting means to shift the carriage selectively as aforesaid comprising, a clutch control element movable from a clutch disengaging position to a clutch engaging position, a shift key, and a shift control train operable by said key upon depression thereof to move the clutch control element to said clutch engaging position and normally effective to maintain the same in such position while said key remains depressed, a member adjustable to disable said control train and thus permit return of said control element to clutch disengaging position while said key is held depressed, means responsive to such adjustment of said member for causing the control element to disengage the clutch at the conclusion of its current cycle, and tripping means operable in response to yielding of said yieldable element to adjust said disabling member as aforesaid.

7. In a motor driven calculating machine, a carriage shiftable to any of a series of operating positions, carriage shifting means operable by the motor to shift the carriage to any of said positions including a cyclic clutch and yieldable elements between said clutch and the carriage adapted to prevent shifting of the carriage beyond an end position upon overdriving of said shifting means, a control element for said clutch, a shift key for controlling said shifting means, a shift operation control train operable under control of said key to move the clutch control element to drive transmitting position, and including a member adjustable to disable said train and thus permit movement of said element from said position while the key is held depressed, means responsive to either such adjustment of said member or return of the key for disengaging the clutch at the conclusion of its current cycle, tripping means operable in response to yielding of the yieldable element to adjust said member as aforesaid, and means responsive to return of said depressed key for readjusting said member to normal position to re-enable said control train.

8. In a motor driven calculating machine, a carriage shiftable to any of a series of operating positions, carriage shifting means operable by the motor to shift the carriage to any of said positions including a cyclic clutch and yieldableelements between said clutch and the carriage adapted to prevent shifting of the carriage beyond an end position upon overdriving of said shifting means, a control element for said clutch, a shift key for controlling said shifting means, a shift operation control train operable under control of said key to move the clutch control element to drive transmitting position, and including a member adjustable to disable said train and thus permit movement of said element from said position while the key is held depressed, means responsive to such adjustment of said member for disengaging the clutch at the conclusion of its current cycle, and tripping means operable in response to yielding of a yieldable element to adjust said member as aforesaid.

9. In a motor driven calculating machine, a carriage shiftable to any of a series of operating positions, carriage shifting means operable by the motor to shift the carriage in either direction to any of said positions including a cyclic clutch and yieldable elements between said clutch and the carriage adapted to prevent shifting of the carriage beyond either end position upon overdriving of said shifting means, a control element for said clutch, a pair of directional shift keys for controlling said shifting means, a shift operation control train common to both of said keys, operable by either of said keys to move the clutch control element to drive transmitting position, and including a member adjustable to disable said train and thus permit movement of said elemeat from said position while the operated key is held depressed, means responsive to such adjustment of said member for disengaging the clutch at the conclusion of its current cycle, and tripping means operable in response to yielding of a yieldable element to adjust said member as aforesaid. I

HAROLD '1. AVERY. 

